This offseason, Diontae Johnson left the Pittsburgh Steelers after five solid seasons. The Steelers wanted a fresh start after a murky year last season, so the team traded Diontae to a Carolina Panthers squad that was desperate for talent. And when I say desperate, I mean Kayne-level desperation! Owner David Tepper is demanding improvement after last year’s debacle of a season. Unfortunately, for Panthers fans, you can’t trade team owners. However, the team did bring in a new head coach, Dave Canales, from Tampa Bay, to change things.
Canales worked wonders with the Buccaneers last season, mainly helping Baker Mayfield regain his form as a top-tier QB. Canales’s scheme also led to big seasons from Mike Evans and Rachaad White, which should transfer to players on the Panthers. Coach Canales is used to playing twice against Carolina each year in division play, so he should have a plan to fix the team. And the trade for Diontae Johnson should help.
Will Diontae Johnson Dominate in 2024?
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Before the deal, 33-year-old Adam Theilen was the only legitimate weapon quarterback Bryce Young had. Last season, he threw passes at Jonathan Mingo, Terrace Marhsall Jr., and someone named Ihmir Smith-Marsette alongside the ghost of DJ Chark. This year, the team did draft wide receiver Xavier Legette out of South Carolina in the first round, but he’s still a raw prospect with no guarantee of working out. Adding in Diontae Johnson will allow them to slowly bring Xavier and their other young wideouts along while reducing the coverage on Theilin.
The Panthers also added strength to strength by drafting talented running back Jonathan Brooks to further boost a rushing attack featuring Chubba Hubbard and Miles Sanders. Last year, Hubbard led Carolina with 238 carries for 902 yards and 5 TDs, but could have even more this year if they start the season with Hubbard as the lead back. And Diontae Johnson will benefit greatly from a successful rushing attack that served as the foundation of the offense last year.
Those additions, along with drafting rookie tight end Ja’Tavion Sanders to play alongside Ian Thomas, will hopefully fortify the passing game. If one of them emerges at tight end, it will take a lot of pressure off Dionte Johnson and the other wide receivers. Last season alone, Johnson had 51 catches for 717 yards and 5 touchdowns in just 14 games while playing with some awful quarterbacks, mainly Kenny Pickett and Mason Rudolph. Now, Diontae Johnson gets to pair with a former number-one overall pick at QB, who should be licking his chops at the arrival of his newest wide receiver.
Diontae Johnson Has a Chance to Shine
Bryce Young should be a massive upgrade for Diontae Johnson, and he should be allowed to up his game this year. During his rookie season, Bryce struggled mightily but had an awful supporting cast and seemed to have no protection on the offensive line. He finished the year with just 2,877 passing yards while throwing 11 touchdowns. That wasn’t what the team hoped for when they took him first overall in the 2023 draft.
However, now Bryce gets a legitimate number-one receiver in the prime of his career in Diontae Johnson, which boosts his prospects tremendously. Diontae is a sure-handed pass catcher who runs an excellent route tree, which should open up the field for Bryce and the other receivers around him. They should fit together like Peanut Butter and former first-overall pick Jelly.
Diontae Johnson is walking into an incredible situation to put up numbers. He immediately becomes “that guy” in Carolina and will be peppered with targets all season long, which should make him very happy. All he has to do is show up ready to play.
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